Garbage bag extractor

ABSTRACT

A garbage bag extractor for removal of a garbage bag from a trash can where the extractor has a flat lifting platform fitted to the cross sectional shape of a trash can, vertical lifting arms, slide rails with a pull handle for manually raising the lifting platform in the trash can, supplemented with a rack and pinion drive with a mechanically driven pinion gear turning on a vertical gear rack riding in a rack guide.

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 61/402,755 (“the '755 application”) filed Sep. 4, 2010. The '755 application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to devices for removal of garbage bags from trash cans and trash receptacles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the typical household and virtually everywhere that trash cans are used to collect discarded waste materials of any kind, plastic bags of some type are used to line the trash cans. When full, the bags are removed from the trash can and discarded for pick up and disposal under some waste management scheme.

There are countless types of trash and garbage bags available in different sizes and shapes with different closure methods, but most are meant to be used in a trash can to ease in the removal of waste and to keep the trash can relatively clean.

In spite of the advantages inherent in using garbage or trash bags, removal of the bag from the can pose problems, particularly for those with limited physical strength such as the elderly or infirm. While certainly easy to fill, once full, the bag may simply be too heavy to lift easily for removal from the can.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an extractor device for removal of a garbage bag containing waste or garbage from a trash can with a top and a bottom where the extractor has a flat lifting platfoiui with a top surface and a bottom surface fitted to the cross sectional shape of a trash can and normally resting in the bottom of the trash can, vertical lifting arms with bottom ends and top ends, the bottom ends attached to the top surface of the lifting platform and riding in slide rails with a pull handle attached to the top ends of the lifting arms for manually raising the lifting platform in the trash can while a garbage bag containing garbage sits on the top surface of the lifting platform. It is also an object of the invention to provide a venting hole or holes to break the vacuum created in the trash can when the lifting platform is raised.

It is a further object of the present invention to supplement the manual extractor device described above with a rack and pinion drive with a mechanically driven pinion gear turning on a vertical gear rack riding in a rack guide where the gear rack moves vertically and imparts lift to the pull handle thereby raising the lifting platform in the trash can. By reversing the rotation of the pinion gear, the lifting platform would return to the bottom of the trash can.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of a trash can with the inventive garbage bag extractor in place.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of a trash can with the inventive garbage bag extractor partially lifted.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of a trash can with the inventive garbage bag extractor partially lifted with a rack and pinion drive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts a trash can 2 with a manual embodiment of the inventive garbage bag extractor 1 in place. The front and right side 4 of the trash can 2 have been cut away for clarity. It is understood that a garbage bag would be placed in the trash can 2 to receive waste and garbage from above in the normal fashion. As shown, the garbage bag extractor 1 has a lifting platform 7 fitted to the cross sectional shape of the trash can 2 with a top side 8 and a bottom side 9, the lifting platform 7 resting in the bottom 6 of the trash can 2. At the top 8 of the lifting platform 7 are attached the bottom ends 13 of vertical lifting arms 11 that ride in vertical slide rails 10 attached to the rear interior side 3 of the trash can 2. The top ends 12 of the lifting arms 11 are attached to a pull handle 14. Also shown is at least one venting hole 20 meant to break the natural vacuum created when the lifting platform 7 is raised. In this embodiment, air would be drawn the slide rails 10 through the venting hole 20, but this can be accomplished through alternate embodiments such as apertures in the trash can 2 sides or a tube running from the bottom of the can to the top.

In FIG. 2, the lifting platform 7 is shown partially lifted in the trash can 2 as would be accomplished by lifting the pull handle 14. It is understood that a full or partially full garbage bag previously inserted in the trash can 2 to receive garbage or waste would ride up on the lifting platform for easy removal and disposal.

FIG. 3 depicts the garbage bag extractor 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a supplemental mechanical drive to replace manual lifting of the pull handle 14. As shown a mechanically drive pinion gear 15 is mounted on the rear side 3 of the trash can 2 and engaged in a vertical gear rack 16 riding in a rack guide 19 affixed to the rear side 3 of the trash can 2. The gear rack 16 has a lower end 18 and a top end 17 with the top end 17 attached to the pull handle 14. Although not shown, it is understood that the pinion gear would be turned by a suitable power drive such as an electric motor, such power drive intended to supplement or replace the need to manually lift the pull handle.

It is also understood that, while the inventive garbage bag extractor is shown mounted to the rear side 3 of the trash can 2, it can be likewise mounted to any side of the trash can 2. 

I claim:
 1. An extractor device for removal of a garbage bag containing waste or garbage from a trash can with a top and a bottom where the extractor device has a flat lifting platform with a top surface and a bottom surface fitted to the cross sectional shape of the trash can vertical lifting arms with bottom ends and top ends, the bottom ends attached to the top surface of the lifting platform and riding in slide rails with a pull handle attached to the top ends of the lifting arms and at least one vacuum breaking venting hole.
 2. The extractor device of claim 1 further comprising a rack and pinion drive with a mechanically driven pinion gear turning on a vertical gear rack riding in a rack guide where the gear rack moves vertically and imparts lift to the pull handle. 